506 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVI. 



eggs, by skilful coiling of her body into a large heap which she completely 

 covered in such a manner that the weight of the body exerted no pressure 

 upon the soft-shelled eggs. 



In order to maintain a constant temperature the snake slightly uncoiled 

 herself from time to time so that the eggs became visible, thus regulating the 

 temperature. 



During the period of incubation I offered ducks, fowls, and geese to the 

 python, but she refused all nourishment. 



On the 14th January she left the mass of eggs quite exposed, and I had 

 given up the hope of a successful issue when I discovered the first nestling with 

 half its body emerging from the egg, into which, however, it retired again 

 towards evening. 



By the next day, 15th January, six young snakes, had hatched out, of which 

 some died, while others were very active, making darts at a cloth held near 

 them. 



The period of incubation, lasted exactly two-and-a-half months. The young 

 measures from two to two-and-a-half feet long, and have now been moved 

 away from the parent into another box where they continue to increase in size 

 without having fed meanwhile. 



Altogether forty-five young have been recovered from the clutch. Of these, 

 thirty-six still survive, which I shall attempt to rear, feeding them with frogs 

 and small lizards. 



So far as can be ascertained, the parent python measures about 28 fett in 

 length and weighs 2501bs. 



JOHN HAGENBECK. 

 (From " Spolia Zeylanica," March 1905.) 



No. XII— TIGER versus BEAR. 



In Miscellaneous Notes No. IV, v Vol. XV, No. 4, page 707,) Tiger versus 

 Bear, Oapt. Lane asks if there are other instances of tigers attacking bears. 



Some 5 or 6 years ago at the end of the monsoon when the grass was rank 

 and long, I had been out stalking at Castle Rock. 



My shikari was with me and on our way home we came down a hill path 

 through heavy jungle and noticed various not quite fresh signs of a tiger hav- 

 ing been on the path. When we got to the bottom the jungle ended in a grassy 

 glade and within a few yards of the track, the grass had been trodden down in 

 a circle some 20 feet in diameter, I should think. Tufts of hair and bits of 

 skin and hair of the Indian Sloth Bear were strewn about in the circle, and it 

 was evident a struggle had taken place in which the bear had suffered badly. 

 It was also evident that a body had been dragged away, and following the track 

 for a short distance we found under a bush the remains of the bear consisting 

 of part of the skull and various other bits of bones, which, from their condition, 

 must, I think, have been there some 2 or 3 days. 



